With international speakers including top officials and international leaders from the maritime and logistics industry, the first conference sessions focused on important themes from the industry, including successfully creating state-of-the-art port and maritime facilities, financing and investing in major maritime and transport projects in Sri Lanka, and a workshop about successful free-zone development.
During the sessions has been emphasized the low risk associated with investing in Sri Lanka, given the government policy of peace and stability. Well placed in the Indian Ocean with India and China both vying for investment opportunities on the island, Sri Lanka has been also compared to being the future 'Singapore'.
Already benefiting from having a young and increasingly highly educated population, by creating a knowledge-based community, Sri Lanka is set to be producing a viable and highly trained workforce from free zone development. With the development of free zones on the island it is also developing its potential to become a major business hub in the South-Asian region. We hope that Sri Lanka will continue its upward trend as a beacon of investment in South Asia.
In the evening, the Awards Ceremony featured as part of the Sri Lanka Ports, Trade and Logistics Gala Dinner, with award-winning SKY News Anchor and Presenter, Jeremy Thompson, as the Master of Ceremonies. International and domestic conference attendees attended this prestigious evening, honouring the most accomplished and dynamic maritime companies and executives in the country. The Awards Ceremony started with a welcome address by Chris Hayman, Chairman, Seatrade Communications Ltd. and Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, Chairman, Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
The awards were judged by a panel of esteemed international judges, with Chris Hayman as Chairman of the Judging Panel, awarding six winners:
• The Maritime Infrastructure Award: Sri Lanka Ports Authority – Colombo Port Expansion Project
• The Logistics Company of the Year Award: Expolanka Freight (Pvt) Limited
• The Shipping Line of the Year Award: MSC Mediterranean Shipping CO. SA
• The Ship Agent of the Year Award: Hayleys Advantis Limited
• The Education & Training Award: Mercantile Seaman Training Institute
• The Technical Innovation Award: ClassNK
The evening also featured four special awards presented to individuals and companies that have made exceptional contributions to the industry in the region and have dominated the headlines. The winners of these awards were chosen by a Seatrade panel with the following winners:
• Deal of the Year: China Merchants Holdings
• Young Person of the Year: Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament of Sri Lanka
• Personality of the Year: Susantha Abeysiriwardana, Director, Sri Lanka Ports Authority
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Mohan Pandithage, Chairman, Hayleys Advantis Limited
The evening proceeded with a dinner and dance entertainment.
The two-day Sri Lanka Ports, Trade & Logistics conference and exhibition continues tomorrow, 3rd May 2013, and will cover a range of other topics pertinent to the island's development potential as South Asia's new business hub.